Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-5) @ Calgary Stampeders (4-1-1)
Mosaic Stadium – Regina, SK
5:00pm (CST) Kickoff
TV: TSN 1/3/5
Radio: Rider Radio Network (Pregame Show begins at 5:00pm)
CKRM 620AM – Regina
CJGX 940AM – Yorkton
CFWD (Cruz FM) 96.3FM – Saskatoon
CJNB 1050AM – North Battleford
CJNS 102.3FM – Meadow Lake
CKBI 900AM – Prince Albert
CKBI 92.5FM – Big River
CKBI 95.9FM – LaRonge
Estimated temperature at Kickoff: Partly Cloudy 23C (73F)
Hello friends! Some week, huh!? The tumultuous week that included: tweets from opposing quarterbacks, media and social media conjecture and then finally the heaviest fine ever levied by the CFL to the Saskatchewan Roughriders for roster violations, is finally over.
We can talk ad nauseam about what happened, but I will leave it to the “hot take” and “embrace debate” folks. I want to talk about the game tonight and how this Roughrider club can begin to climb out of the massive hole they have dug to start the season.
It begins against the always good and perpetually nasty, Calgary Stampeders. Nine days ago, the Stampeders used a road grader offensive line in the fourth quarter to pave the way for a pair of long touchdown drives that sealed the 35-14 victory at McMahon Stadium.
To knock off Calgary, the Riders desperately need to win the battle in the trenches. That makes the most important group tonight, the Green and White defensive front.
There is a whiff of irony that in a game the Riders need their defensive line to play their best this season, the greatest defensive lineman to ever wear the Green and White will be honoured. Bobby Jurasin and his 142 career sacks is something the Riders could definitely use tonight to disrupt a powerful Stampeder offensive line and their quarterback, Bo Levi Mitchell.
There have been changes on the Rider front: out are Cedric McKinley and Ese Mrabure and in are the newly acquired Gregory Alexandre and rookie Daniel Ross.
Alexandre is a known quantity at defensive tackle. The 6’2” 277 pound tackle out of the University of Montreal is in his third CFL season and had five sacks in his rookie year with the Edmonton Eskimos in 2014.
Ross on the other hand is playing in his first pro game. He has the size to play defensive tackle at 6’5” 305 pounds, but lacks experience at any level. He played two years at Northeast Mississippi Community College and had a tryout with the Chris Jones led Eskimos in 2014. At the time of his signing that year, he was eight days away from turning 21! So he will join an already young Rider team that boasts 26 players born after the Riders and Bobby Jurasin won the Grey Cup in 1989.
What they are up against is a young, but veteran group that might just be the best in the CFL. They put on a show in the fourth quarter last week paving the way for Jerome Messam and not allowing a hand to touch Bo Levi Mitchell.
This will be a fun game in front of a sold-out crowd at Mosaic Stadium. The Riders were able to ride the crowd’s emotions in their lone win three weeks ago against a REDBLACK team who was then at the top of the CFL, so let’s see if the Riders can do it again!
Five things I will be watching (other than the previously stated Rider defensive line against the Stampeders offensive line):
- Rider running game – There were hints that this might be more of an option last week. Kendial Lawrence had a solid night with 45 yards in limited carries. It’s also the debut of former Chicago Bear and Hamilton Tiger Cat Michael Ford.
- Fan reaction – It will be interesting how the Rider fans will react to Bo Levi Mitchell. His tweet early in the week lit the firestorm that ended with the Rider fines this week for roster violations.
- Quinn Van Gylswyk – The Riders 3rd round pick from the 2016 CFL draft will be making his debut this week. Johnny Mark filled in well last week in Calgary, but it’s now up to the 25 year-old UBC grad to lead the way with Tyler Crapigna on the shelf.
- Rider special teams – They will have a lot to handle again this week with dynamic Calgary returner Roy Finch. It will be crucial that the return teams have a good game with at least one or two 20+ yard returns tonight.
- Darian Durant – He looked a little rusty last week in his return to the Rider lineup (this was evident in the two overthrows on screen plays to Rob Bagg). This has all been ironed out as the veteran quarterback looks for his first win at Mosaic Stadium in almost two years.
Fast Facts:
– Rob Bagg is nine catches away from 300 career receptions.
– Riders have 23 players in their first or second CFL season, the Stampeders have 15.
– Welcome to Rider Nation: Alexandre Gregory, Daniel Ross, Quinn Van Gylswyk, Brandon Bridge, and Michael Ford.
– Welcome back to the lineup: Levi Steinhauer and John Chiles.
– In the loss last week against Calgary, Rob Bagg (135 yards) had the top receiving day and Greg Jones (12 tackles) was the top tackler of the week.
– Darian Durant is the CFL’s third ranked QB with a QBR of 108.9 (behind Trevor Harris and Ricky Ray).
– Greg Jones is fifth in the CFL in defensive tackles and tied for fourth in special teams tackles. He is also second in the CFL in “defensive plays”.
